Jana & Lorna’s Final Countdown Week!

Final Countdown – 7 Days!

Yes, it is hard to believe it is just 7 days away now. Just 5 more days of work. Can I keep busy enough, can I keep still? I guess I will have to; I have no choice.

Dani was kind enough to send me a few links of some of the songs the guys might sing. Still trying to guess who will sing whose parts? My first bet is that Luciano’s part will be sung by Ignazio. Here is why – I played Nessun Dorma and when he hit these few notes, chills just ran down my arms like they do when Ignazio sings that note in Tonight! Then, believe it or not, I was actually close to tears at the end of it. Kind of reminds me a bit of Pretty Woman, when Julia Roberts is balling at the end of Madame Butterfly and Richard Gere is confused because he knows she doesn’t understand a word of it! But she says it’s the emotion in the voices and that’s what makes you understand and feel, even though you don’t know what they are saying.

To paraphrase Barry Manilow (sorry!), he says this about his music – something like “it’s not so much what the music says, it’s how it makes you feel.” I think that’s what the guys do to us. They make us feel, deep down feelings, that maybe once were lost. They bring those memories, once again, to the surface. And sometimes those feelings and emotions bring tears to our eyes, bubbling over for no apparent reason, except to maybe remind us that something as simple as a single note can evoke such joy and passion inside of us.

Yes, we are just about at the 1 week point! I cannot believe it. It still doesn’t seem real. Even with all the planning. I don’t think I’ll believe it until my feet touch the ground in Florence! I was able to book us one more tour, as well as another meeting or two while we are there!

I booked the Vatican tour for our last day in Rome. It’s about mid-afternoon and I’m guessing lasts a few hours or so. We then will have the remainder of our day to wander and find a great place to eat, relax, and reflect on our wonderful adventure.

We are also going to try and meet up with Sara Hay (Sara Sary on FB). She is from Abruzzo area and is a professional photographer. You may have seen her FaceBook page with all of the gorgeous photos of Abruzzo and the surrounding areas. We will be meeting up with her when we go to Silvi on either that Tuesday or Wednesday. She is also the one that is posting Italian lessons! I looked at a few of them and they are really good. She was not familiar with the Flight Crew site, so I told her to check us out!

I was able to connect with her due to a special project I was working on and wanted to use one of her photos. I sent her an IM with my request and she wholeheartedly agreed to let me use the photo. She is very nice and also speaks English. So, now I have TWO new friends in Italy, besides Dani!

Most things are done – I have been busy. All tickets are purchased (plane, trains, tours), passports, itinerary mostly planned, but still need to type out all the details. I seriously think I could start my own travel agency business after this trip! Lol! Definitely will need a side job to pay for all of this!

Will probably try to start packing on the weekend. I literally have something planned after work each day this week, including through Saturday! I am also planning to get a massage on Wednesday morning before we leave and then a manicure. I want to be totally relaxed. Have them melt all my stress away!

Lorna and I still need to get our international driver’s licenses, although someone said you really don’t need one, but don’t want to take any chances. Still getting advice from lots of people. Even my boss, before he left for his trip says “be careful in Rome of the pickpockets…” Yes, I will try to be very vigilant.

Lynn K. has also been sending me some lovely links through FB messenger that I need to check out as well!

Ok, that pretty well sums it up for now. And here comes kitty! Yes, they will miss me!

Jana, sounds like a dream trip to me!! What you said about the music even though we don’t understand the language is so true! I even like to hear their interviews in Italian..just like the way it sounds!! Hope your trip is all you want it to be and more! Travel safely. ….dot in Texas!♡♡♡

Oh you lucky ducks! I am practically green with envy over your trip. Italy is a glorious country to visit and you are attaching IL Volo on this trip makes it just a divine one! Wave to Pope Francis if you see him and blow a kiss to Piero when you see him for me! May your trip be filled with happy events and people you meet all for the good!

Safe travelling Jana. Hope your trip is what you have been dreaming about & more. If you get a chance to be close to the guys at their concert give Ignazio a kiss for me. Looking forward to everythng you have to tell us when you get back. Have the time of your life. Hope you are going to visit Ninna’s Pizzaria. Ignazio’s sister.

Thanks Mary good to see you also. I wish we could have spent some time together but the guys were more important. Hope you are doing well. I’m recovering from a hip replacement so hopefully I will be walking better without a walker someday. I am looking forward to walking up to Ignazio normally won’t that be a hoot.

Of course I do! I’m actually checking a bag, since we get one free – I’m sure I can squeeze you in somewhere in the opposite corner from Marie! 🙂 IF I see the guys, I will send all of everyone’s well and warm wishes from the Flight Crew!

Jana you obviously are very organized and have planned your trip so well. To be able to see Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca twice and especially in Florence with Placido Domingo is a dream come true. It is so true that even without knowing the words, it is how the music makes you feel and how it touches something deep inside. And now that I have seen the translations of so many of their songs, I love them even more. Nessun Dorma has been one of my favorites since I first heard Luciana Pavarotti sing it. I think it is possible that Piero will sing his part but whoever and however they sing it, it is sure to be magical! Have a safe trip and I can’t wait to hear all about it.

Part of Italian Article : As stated at the press conference, the show (which promises to be full of surprises) will include many classic Italian songs as’ O sole mio ‘ but also American songs like ‘ My Way ‘and at the same time there will be opera arias such as’ Nessun Dorma ‘from Turandot or the’ Brindisi ‘from La Traviata. Many thanks went to Pavarotti Foundation, Sony and Placido Domingo, who will make a dream possible and real. The concert will be recorded and will be released in CD and DVD by Sony Music during the month of September.
I have read that boys will sing also aria from L’elisir d’amore by Gaetano Donizetti and Nessun Dorma will sing all three.

Lydka – Grazie! Yes, I think this was part of the same article Dani sent me as well. We now know why they have been singing many of these songs in their World Tour concerts – they’ve been practicing for the last 6 months! 🙂 Can hardly wait for the surprises! My guess is that Jose Carreras will be there?

Yeah, they don’t do meet/greets in Italy. Not really sure why, since they’ve literally done it all over the world. I guess they figure the Italian fans would go too crazy or something? Who knows… I’ll be dreaming of it while they are on stage!

Jana and Lorna we had our “Trip of a Lifetime” and now this is yours to cherish in your mind and heart forever !! I’m sure that there will be moments that will be very emotional !! Seeing magnificent Italy and especially seeing our sweeties in their homeland at those two very special concerts !! All your plans are in place so now just go and enjoy every single moment of your great adventure !!! Travel safely !! I will be looking forward to a blow by blow of the entire trip !!

Joanie – Grazie, mille! Yes, we are certainly not the first, and hopefully, not the last! Of course you got a special meeting with Gian, that’s not on my planned itinerary, unfortunately. Ok, maybe I’ve planned to see the guys, but it’s not likely! Yes, I plan a daily review!

To my faithful followers and commenters, please note that with Marie’s help and approval, I will be posting daily updates of our adventures! There will be too much for me to write after I get home. After I recover for a day, I will likely write a summary. Depending on how the WiFi is over there and the connections in the hotels, etc. Being that both concerts are going to be filmed, not sure how much we will be able to sneak a picture or video of. However, I promise to try. I do have Instagram and if you want to follow me, I think I am “JanaAmoreIlVolo.” I will try to load pictures up that way from various sights.

Thank you all for your well wishes of support. I hope you are enjoying the ride so far?

I will have one more post, either the morning of or afternoon of the day we leave, maybe some notes while at the airport. Guess I will have to get used to writing on my tablet and make sure the links are loaded, etc.

You know, I’ve yet to finish their book? Maybe I can do that on the plane. I can translate it on my tablet. 🙂

Wishing you a fantastic adventure! Treasure every moment and while the visual stimulation will be overwhelming, take time to close your eyes and LISTEN. Absorb every note; grasp every emotion and wrap it around your head so that you will never forget any of it. Rest assured that we will all be cheering you on!

Yes, we are all enjoying the ride. If I were there watching all our guy’s singing Nessun Dorma, and in that atmosphere, i would think I had died and gone to heaven! I can’t wait to hear about your adventure’s in all those wonderful places you are visiting. We will take care of Marie while you are gone.lol
Un Viaggio Sicuro

The concert program in Florence will include a mix of melodies of the Neapolitan repertoire, with Italian and international songs from musicals and opera arias: Brindisi of ‘La Traviata’ and ‘Nessun dorma’. But there will also be classic Italians as’ ‘O sole mio’, ‘Torna a Surriento’, ” O surdato ‘nnamurato’ and Americans as’ My way ‘,’ Memories’, ‘Maria’, ‘Tonight’ from ‘West side story’. and they will sing individually, classical arias from Tosca, ‘Una furtiva lagrima” from ‘L’elisir d’amore’, ‘La danza’ di Gioacchino Rossini.